The thematic track “Sustainable Urban Design: Positive Energy Districts & Flexible Energy Communities” will be a key moment of knowledge exchange at the Sustainable Places conference, where leading initiatives and projects will share their insights on the growth of energy communities and Positive Energy Districts (PEDs).

Organized by stakeholders active in urban energy transition and community-led innovation, this 4-hour session will explore how PEDs and flexible energy communities can become the cornerstone of sustainable urban design, driving decarbonization, resilience, and citizen empowerment.

When attending this session, you will hear about:

• The role of citizen engagement in creating thriving and resilient energy communities
• Integrated design approaches to unlock the potential of Positive Energy Districts
• Sustainable neighborhood management strategies for long-term impact
• Replicable tools and best practices that support large-scale adoption
• A forward-looking debate with practitioners, researchers, and industry professionals

The session is organized with contributions from:

• R2M Solution – bringing expertise in innovation and market deployment of Renewable Energy Communities and Positive Energy Districts
• FEDECOM – presenting interoperable solutions to support the electrification and sector coupling in federated energy communities
• Beckon – providing e support mechanisms to facilitate the creation of Energy Communities and integrated services via One-Stop-Shop platform
• Stunned – presenting replicable models for flexible and resilient energy neighborhoods
• Masterpiece – showcasing approaches to foster citizen engagement and energy community building
• IES – providing cutting-edge digital solutions for sustainable neighborhood design and masterplan

Together, these contributors will present real-world examples, replicable tools, and lessons learned that can support municipalities, industry, and citizens in shaping sustainable urban energy futures.

This session is made possible thanks to the active collaboration of projects and stakeholders dedicated to advancing Positive Energy Districts and energy communities across Europe.